Social media campaign launched to promote Māori and Pasifika people to train in trades

Social media campaign launched to promote Māori and Pasifika people to train in trades

Te Karere

MPTT has launched a new social media campaign called 'Youse Got Choices.'

Where according to MTPP organiser, John Kotoisuva, says members of the Māori and Pasifika community share inspiring messages about careers in the trades.

“To look at trades as a strong alternative to their education, for their careers and a result to improve the economic situation in their own homes.”

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MPTT was established in 2015.

The program includes one-year studying trades, where they eventually gain work experience at D&H Steel Constructions.

After putting in the work they will gain permanent positions.

And trainee Atty Galica believes the life of a tradie can take you places.

“The thing about being a tradie you can take it everywhere in the world so every currency is different so the bigger the country the more money you will get.”

More than 2000 people have passed the MPTT course and Kotoisuva says tradies are in high demand.

“They've been bringing in people from places like China, India, Vietnam and Philippines, semi-skilled and skilled workers that’s because we are too slow, our whole system within our country is too slow to groom the right people to fit those jobs.”

D&H Steel Constructions, Dean Pouwhare, says that it benefits those who aren’t the university type.

“We're not all cut out for university and we shouldn't go and waste our time there if we're more hands-on type people, we should go where those hands are the most beneficial to us, our family and everybody else.”

Videos from “Youse Got Choices” are set to be shared on social media in the hope to recruit more than 800 new trainees in 2018.